By Atoyebi Nike
Al-Shabab militants have captured the town of Tardo in Somalia’s central Hiiran region, a critical crossroads between major towns, marking another gain in the group’s renewed offensive.
The town fell on Sunday, following fierce clashes that saw the withdrawal of government-allied clan fighters. The insurgent group had also seized Muqokori in the same region last week.
Somali lawmaker Dahir Amin confirmed that over 12,500 families have fled both towns amid rising violence. “The situation is worsening,” he said, as residents scramble for safety ahead of further militant advances.
To curb the offensive, Somalia has deployed about 100 national soldiers to support local fighters resisting the insurgents.
Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, has been waging an insurgency since 2007, aiming to topple Somalia’s central government and impose a harsh version of sharia law.
The group’s recent operations in Hiiran signal a sharp escalation, with gains earlier this year coming within 50 kilometres of Mogadishu, the capital. Though some of those advances were reversed, the militants continue to pose a potent threat across central Somalia.
